I started yoga to help my running, to develop strength in my upper body and core, and to practice quieting my mind.  Little did I know, it would end up doing more than burning fat off my body and toning muscles.  It’s refining my spirit as well.

Let me explain.

I am one to be a bit on the ultra-competitive side.  For example, it took me almost six months to come to terms with the fact that I will not win every Words with Friends game on my iPhone.  Likewise, the competitive side of me does not understand that my body will not be able to invert itself into a headstand on the first, or even tenth try.  It doesn’t understand that it takes time to build the strength to do a back bend all by myself.  For some reason, I think that if the lady in her fifties next to me can do it, I can, too.  So what if she’s been taking yoga for two years?  I’m sure I can force myself into the position, right?

The answer is, plainly, “no.”  As I start to come to terms with the limitations of the body that I am in today, I realize that it is much the same with life outside of yoga.  First, I realize that while having a competitive spirit can come in handy at times, it can be quite destructive as well.  If I spend all my time comparing myself to others and trying to make myself like them or better than them, somehow myself ends up being just some conglomeration of people that are not me. And, when I lose myself, I lose who and for what I was created to be.

Secondly, if I am only concerned with the end product (i.e. the headstand, the back bend, or more holistically, the perfect job, status, kids), I miss the joy of the journey.  I miss the process of strengthening, toning, and refining.  I miss celebrating the small things, which many times are just as valuable as the ultimate achievement. Always focusing on the end goal, too, doesn’t give me the chance to play in the space that I am in – to try new things, to venture down unexplored roads, to be diverted to something better than I had imagined.

Finally, the idea of always forcing, striving, and pushing myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually is exhausting.  I must begin to value rest.  In yoga, rest is valued just as much as the stretching, the holding of pose, and the inversions.  Just as my muscles need rest to recuperate from a hard workout in order to be able to gain strength and engage again, so does my soul need time for restoration. Without rest, it becomes tired, brittle, grouchy, and unable to function in the capacity for which I was made.

As I digest these physical revelations and see how they relate to my greater identity, I am amazed at the interconnectedness with which we are made.  I appreciate the tangible examples of my spiritual walk played out in the physical realm.

Has any type of exercise taught you anything about your spiritual or emotional journey? If so, please share in the comments.